AP, Vancouver :
Vasek Pospisil beat Go Soeda 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to give Canada a 3-2 victory over Japan in the first round of the Davis Cup.
Pospisil sent Canada to the quarterfinals after fourth-ranked Kei Nishikori had pulled Japan even at 2-all with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Milos Raonic in the first match on Sunday.
Pospisil, ranked 62nd in the world, ended the match with an ace. Canada will face Belgium in quarterfinals. Belgium beat defending champion Switzerland 3-2.
On Saturday, Pospisil and Daniel Nestor beat Soeda and Yasutaka Uchiyama in doubles 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. The teams split the opening singles matches Friday, with Raonic topping Tatsuma Ito and Nishikori beating Pospisil. Japan knocked Canada out of the first round of the World Group last year, winning 4-1 at home.
